Loosely inserted is a one-page photocopy, on which the author has noted: 'This was a piece I did for the Radio Times when my reading of The Uncommon Reader was being broadcast. It’s also an example of my typing.'

The Queen, prompted by a chance meeting with a mobile library near Buckingham Palace, politely borrows a book, and soon discovers a voracious appetite for fiction. Enlivened by this expansive new world, she becomes critical of the unimaginative routines of Palace life, and only a few years later is to be found parachuting into the Olympic Stadium with James Bond.

Annotated on 18 pages. One illustration. Approximately 650 words.

People often ask me if the Queen has read the book. The answer is, I’ve no idea. I imagine, though, Her Majesty has better things to do.

People often ask me if the Queen has read the book. The answer is, I’ve no idea. I imagine, though, Her Majesty has better things to do.

People often ask me if the Queen has read the book. The answer is, I’ve no idea. I imagine, though, Her Majesty has better things to do.